Smoke and Beads (Saint Charles Shave)

By Thomas

So we re-visit the patchouli note yet again, in an overtly-fruity composition – is this part of the ‘fruitchouli’ genre I’d read about a while back? Hard to say, but I figured it was time for another dose of cheap and cheerful, and if patchouli can’t be cheerful, then…well, hmmm. Maybe mellow is a better descriptor here.

Anyway, Smoke and Beads is a mix of orange, patchouli, spice, incense. It’s more than a little raspy and rough around the edges, enough to elicit an unfriendly comment from the Mrs. (can’t please them all I guess). Pretty well-balanced between the notes, though, so I can’t complain about it. It is a tad shocking at the get-go, but passes quickly.

Not much development as the hours pass – the orange fades as it tends to do, and we have patch/spice/incense humming along for a good while. Still fruity, despite the lack of orange, and fairly resinous as well. I thought I would prefer the early notes (why yes, I like it the orange) but now that it’s settled a bit at lunchtime I think I like it more now that the rough edges are smoothed out.

Make no mistake, this is a simple and straightforward composition – don’t expect the grand Guerlainade or other perfumer’s flourishes. Unisex, appropriate for all but the hottest days, definitely a casual and mellow scent. But, given the name, would you expect anything different?